Deadline talk, Volquez news

These will be the days when talk will often be focused on the July 31 non-waivers trade deadline. Bronson Arroyo has mentioned it in each of his last two starts and hopes management doesn’t start selling if the Reds fall out of it.

Arroyo mentioned that manager Dusty Baker had a talk with the team when everyone came back from the All-Star break.

“Dusty said in a meeting the other day that if you continue to win, they can’t remove pieces,” Arroyo said on Friday.

Baker said it’s a natural thing to think about this time of year.

“It’s something on every team’s mind at this point,” Baker said on Saturday. “There are buyers and sellers. The closer you are in the race, the tighter things are, you’re more in buying mode than selling mode. Everybody has a budget. Some budgets are larger than other budgets.

“That’s something that I tell every team I’m on, not just this team. I always say that every All-Star break. The Trade Deadline is only two weeks away. It wasn’t something that pertains to this team. It’s just a fact that’s true.”

With the Reds enterng the night 5 1/2 games out, what do you think will happen? What do you think should happen?

In injury rehab news, Edinson Volquez long tossed on flat ground again on Saturday. He made 30 throws at distances of up to 120 feet.

“They say 120, but you always go a little bit farther than that,” said Volquez, who has been on the DL since June 2 because of right elbow tendinitis.

The next step for Volquez: 25-30 pitches off of a mound on Monday at Dodger Stadium. The plan is to have him have three bullpen sessions — one every other day — before he heads out for a rehab assignment.

Volquez is eager to pitch again. Between his current DL stint and the previous one for back spasms, he’s thrown in just one inning since May 16.

“I can’t wait. I don’t know where the mound is right now,” Volquez joked.

“That’s OK, I will direct him,” Baker said. “It’s that hump in the middle of the field.”

Saturday was Edinson Volquez Bobblehead night. Volquez was checking out a ceramic doppelganger in his hands — only to notice a teammate had chopped off both of its arms.

“It’s kind of close,” Volquez said of the doll. “It’s got a better nose than I do. It’s got a straight hat.”

For Adam Rosales, this is his first big league game at shortstop. He didn’t play very much there the last couple of years after he had arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow after the 2006 season. He played 25 games there for Triple-A Louisville last season and 11 times there this season — many of them after he was sent back down last month.

“Shortstop is what I came up as but I like all of them equally,” Rosales said. “As long as I’m out there.”

Catcher Ramon Hernandez did not start for the second-straight game because of a sore knee. Something was clearly off on Thursday when Hernandez didn’t slide trying to score during a play at the plate. He was easily thrown out.

“Hopefully, he’ll be better tomorrow,” Baker said. “That’s why he didn’t slide yesterday. I know a lot of people wanted to know why he didn’t slide. His knee is barking. He’s not fast, but if he doesn’t go all out, something is wrong.”

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am I buying or selling? Sale, sale, sale! This team is getting worse as the day progess. I am happy Bronson has turned it around but unfortunately his demise pre allstar is what has led our pitching into a funk. Sell Harang, Arroyo for all we can get. Sell anyone on the team with anything guaranteed over 8 million and set our sights on next year. Hopefully in the off season we’ll pick up a real free agent or two. Zero change we catch Cardinals, zero change we catch milwaukee, zero chance we catch chicago in the standings. What does that spell? Fire Sale at Great American Ball Park…. buy one get one free!

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